Christmas Surprise
by autumnrose2010
Summary: Based on the episode 'The Spirit' from season 8. Elizabeth develops feelings for Paul, the escaped German POW who'd been hiding out on Walton's Mountain.
1. The Spirit Part Two

The joyous sounds of caroling had died down, and Elizabeth knew that it was almost time for her older brother to take Paul away to face the consequences of his actions. When the young man had arrived unexpectedly at her family's Christmas celebration, bearing a small, undecorated tree and a tale of Martin Luther, she'd been enchanted with not only his good looks but also his gentle, mild demeanor. But a war was waging, one in which Paul was on the wrong side.

"Wait!" she cried as her uniform-clad brother stepped outside with their uninvited guest. Two pairs of eyes turned to stare at her in surprise.

"Does he really have to go to prison?" she asked her brother.

"It's all right," Paul said bravely. "One day the war will be over, and I'll be free again."

"But who knows when that will ever be!" Although she'd only just met the young man, she was genuinely concerned for him. She'd heard horror stories about the way prisoners of war were treated.

"It's Elizabeth, right?" Paul smiled. "It won't be long, and I'll write to you, if you'd like."

"Oh, yes, I _would _like!" she exclaimed.

He laughed indulgently. She wrote her address down for him, and he pocketed it with a wave farewell.

After he'd left, she felt foolish. He was a grown man, a young one, granted, but grown nonetheless, while she was still a school girl. What did he think of her now? She must have come across as some kind of lovesick puppy. Would he really write to her? Or would he just laugh the whole thing off?

* * *

She thought about him every single day for the remainder of the Christmas vacation. When the spring term started, she walked to school with Aimee Godsey like she usually did.

"Why are you so quiet?" Aimee asked her.

"I met this guy," Elizabeth told her. "His name's Paul, and he's German, but you'd never guess it. When he was young, his family lived here in the United States for a long time, so he sounds just like us when he talks. He escaped from a POW camp and was hiding in the woods close to our house. Jeffrey found him and invited him over for Christmas. After that, my brother took him back to the POW camp."

"So you're in love with a German?" Elizabeth could hear the disapproval in her friend's voice.

"I only just met him," she replied. "But I really like him a lot, and I hope to see him again some day."

"I can't believe that with all the American soldiers around, you'd actually fall for a _German," _Aimee snorted.

"He's a really nice guy," Elizabeth argued. "If you'd met him, you'd like him, too."

"Oh, I seriously doubt _that." _

Elizabeth was soon so involved in school work that she'd pushed Paul to the back of her mind. In January her niece, Virginia, was born. She went to the hospital to meet the baby, and as she held the warm, soft bundle and looked into the unfocused dark blue eyes, she wondered whether she'd ever be a mother herself. For some reason that made her think of Paul, and she felt an unfamiliar pang inside.

A few days later it finally came. Her first letter from Paul.


	2. The Letters

Hoping that the bedroom she shared with Erin would be unoccupied, Elizabeth hurried into the house with the letter. To her relief, it was. She sat on the edge of the bed and eagerly tore the envelope open.

_Dear Elizabeth, _

_Finally I am settled and have time to write to you. The place where I'm staying is a former hospital that was converted into a prison camp. Except for meals and half an hour a day for exercise, my entire life is spent in a tiny cell with a cot which has an upper and lower bunk. I also have a roommate. His name is Ernest, and he's a few years older than me. He's married and has three children. He's lying in the upper bunk writing a letter to his wife as I write to you._

_I suppose I should consider myself fortunate in that I don't also have a wife and children to be separated from, but all I can think about is that right now my father would be sitting in his easy chair reading while my mother would be clearing away the dinner dishes and my little brother Mathias would be playing. If I were there, I'd probably be outside doing chores._

_It's funny how you never really notice how much your family means to you until you can't be with them anymore. In the little bit of time I spent with your family, I could tell that you all love each other very much. It's the same way with my own family. I hope that you can always be together.  
_

_Well, I guess that's it for now. Please take care and give your family my greetings._

_Warmest regards,_

_Paul Brimmer  
_

As she read the letter, Elizabeth felt terribly sad for Paul. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be completely separated from everyone she loved. Whatever wrong he'd done, was it deserving of such punishment?

She wrote back to him right after dinner that night.

_Dear Paul,_

_I was very happy to get your letter. Things are pretty much back to normal around here. My brothers are back fighting in the war, and Erin and I are back in school. I have a new teacher named Miss Lamphere. I like her a lot, but I recently learned that she's very ill and may not have much longer to live._

_On a happier note, I'm an aunt again now. Ben and Cindy's little girl was born just a few weeks ago. Her name's Virginia, and she's so sweet! She has big blue eyes and a tiny tuft of red hair on top of her head._

_John Curtis is getting bigger every day. He's into everything, but he's a happy little boy. He's too young to remember his father, of course._

_Your letter made me feel very sad. I can tell how lonely you are and how much you miss your family. I hope that the war ends soon and you can go back to them. In the meantime, remember that God is always there._

_Please take care and write whenever you can._

_Your friend,_

_Elizabeth Walton_

She took the letter to the post office the next day and mailed it, hoping that Paul would be happy to get it and that it would make him feel less lonely.


	3. The Reunion

**August 1945**

Elizabeth waited with the rest of her family at the train station for Paul to arrive. The war had finally ended, and her friend had been released from the POW camp where he'd been held prisoner for the past year and a half.

At sixteen, Elizabeth had grown to be a graceful, willowy woman. She'd written to Paul faithfully for the entire time he'd been imprisoned, and he'd written back to her whenever he could. Her father had offered the young man a job at the saw mill when he was released, and now the entire family awaited his return to Walton's Mountain.

At last the train arrived, and Elizabeth watched with the others as the passengers got off. She recognized him as soon as she saw him. He looked a bit thinner and paler, but other than that, he hadn't changed much at all.

"Welcome back to Walton's Mountain!" John exclaimed with a wide, friendly grin as he shook the new arrival's hand.

"Thank you very much for offering me a place to stay, and employment," Paul replied. John had offered to let him stay in John-Boy's old bedroom until he could find a place of his own. "I am grateful for your offer of hospitality."

"We would never turn our backs on someone in need," Olivia told him. She'd recovered from tuberculosis and was once again living in the family home.

Paul greeted Jim-Bob and Erin and then turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth!" He took her hands and gazed into her eyes. "You're beautiful!" he said softly.

She blushed and looked down. "I kept all your letters," she said softly.

"I kept all yours too," he said. Quickly he retrieved one and showed it to her. It was the most recent one she'd written, right after Germany had surrendered. She'd felt awkward, unsure of what to say, while writing it. Although happy that the war had ended and that the Allies had won, she'd feared hurting Paul's feelings if she mentioned his own country's defeat, so she'd quickly skimmed over the subject.

"I read it over and over again on the train," Paul continued. "I couldn't wait to see the lovely lady who'd been writing to me all this time again."

Upon their arrival home, Paul was busy getting settled in for most of the afternoon. Elizabeth would have offered to help but was afraid of getting in the way.

Around the dinner table that evening, Paul was the center of attention, of course. Jim-Bob especially quizzed him on his experiences in the prison camp. Every so often, his eyes drifted to Elizabeth, and she got the feeling that he wanted to talk to her but didn't want to seem rude to the rest of the family.

After dinner the family sat in the living room and continued the conversation until it was time to go to bed. Elizabeth had a hard time falling asleep that night, knowing that instead of being thousands of miles away, Paul was in a bedroom right down the hall. As she hugged her pillow, she fantasized that she was hugging him instead.

The following morning, she slept in later than usual and had to wait to get into the bathroom. Assuming that either Jim-Bob or Erin was dawdling, she waited for what she thought was a reasonable amount of time before banging impatiently on the door. "Hurry up in there, will ya?' she shouted.

A moment later, the door opened and Paul stepped out. "I am sorry. I did not mean to inconvenience you."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Elizabeth stammered, her face beet red. "I didn't know it was you..."

But he'd already gone.

Mortified, she wondered how she'd get through the rest of the morning.


	4. The Godseys

She went to the table to find that Paul was already there. He looked up and grinned at her. She opened her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it.

"Come sit with me, Elizabeth," he said. "I'd enjoy the company."

Gratefully she sat with him and ate breakfast. "So, what shall we do today?" he asked. He didn't start work at the sawmill until the following week.

"Hm...want to go fishing?" Elizabeth suggested.

"Fishing! I haven't even been since before the war!" Paul looked jubilant.

"We didn't go much during the war, either," said Elizabeth. After breakfast, they grabbed fishing poles and headed for the river. Soon they were sitting together on the bank, waiting for a bite.

"So, what did you think of the way the war ended?" asked Paul.

Elizabeth just sat for a moment, wondering how she should answer him, afraid she would say the wrong thing.

"I was glad to hear that it was finally over," she said at last. "Although I was sorry for all the suffering and death on both sides."

They sat in silence for awhile, listening to the sounds of nature and swatting at insects. "How do you feel about it?" Elizabeth asked after a few minutes.

"Much the same as you," Paul replied. "Although it breaks my heart to see my homeland divided in two, half of it now under Communist control. I was horrified when the full extent of what Hitler had done came to light. I don't consider his death to have been a loss. I think it was fitting that his end came about as it did."

Elizabeth had seen photographs of concentration camp inmates, and it had sickened her. She didn't blame Paul or his family because she knew that they were just as saddened by the Nazi atrocities as she was, but she couldn't help but wonder how the citizens of the Axis countries could have been so blind to them for so long.

"Why did your family move back to Germany after living in the United States for so long?" she asked her friend.

"My parents began to miss their homeland, the music, the food, and most of all, my aunts and uncles."

"And how did you get involved in the war?"

"The same way your brothers did. My country needed me, and I answered its call. My father was always very loyal to the Kaiser."

"What's that?"

Paul chuckled. "Who, not what. Kaiser Wilhelm II was my country's last monarch. He was forced to abdicate when my father was about as old as I am now. My father has always wanted to see his family restored to power."

"I suppose there's not much of a chance of that happening now," Elizabeth said.

"Of course not. Hitler issued a decree insuring that that will never happen. He hated the Hohenzollerns."

"The _what?" _

"My country's rightful rulers." Paul sounded so sad that Elizabeth felt sorry for him and wanted to cheer him up.

"Maybe later on we can visit some of the neighbors," she suggested. "You'll love the Godsey's store. I've been going there since I was too young to remember. I used to love to get gumballs from there when I was little."

Paul caught four fish and Elizabeth caught two. They took them home and Paul cleaned them and Olivia promised to cook them for dinner that night.

After lunch, Elizabeth took Paul to the Godsey's store and introduced him to Ike and Corabeth. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young man!" Ike exclaimed with his usual exuberance.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, sir," Paul replied. "And you too, ma'am."

"Are you one of the soldiers returning from the war?" asked Corabeth. "It was such a horrid thing. We were all so happy when we finally heard that the Germans had surrendered!"

"I am," Paul said softly, not meeting her eyes.

Just then Aimee appeared. "Hi, Elizabeth!" She looked at Paul curiously.

"This is Paul," Elizabeth told her. "He was just released from a prisoner of war camp."

"Hello." Aimee's eyes met Paul's and lingered there.

"Hi," he said, returning the gaze.

Elizabeth felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.


	5. The Birthday

"That must have been just horrible, to have been imprisoned!" Aimee exclaimed.

Paul gave a slight smile. "I was very glad to be released."

"Those awful Germans!" Aimee shook her head. "I sure hope they didn't torture you!"

"Not unless you count being separated from your home and everyone you love as torture."

"Oh, you poor thing!" said Aimee. "Well, I'm glad you're free at last!"

Paul smirked. "So am I."

As soon as they were outside the store, Paul grinned and handed something to Elizabeth. She saw that it was a gumball.

"Thanks!" she said, popping it into her mouth. "So, what did you think of her?" she asked a little while later.

"Corabeth? To be honest, I wasn't that impressed with her. Is she always so snooty? It seems unnatural somehow, like she's pretending to be something she isn't. I really like her husband. He seems much more genuine."

Elizabeth laughed. "That's just the way Corabeth is. We're all used to it, but I was really talking about Aimee."

Paul shrugged. "She's all right, I guess. But I've always preferred redheads to blondes."

Elizabeth was immensely relieved.

Paul started working at the saw mill the following week as planned, and not long after that, Elizabeth began her last year of high school. She was happy to be back in class, as her life had gotten considerably more boring with Paul away at work every day. The morning of the first day of school, Paul was getting ready to leave with John when she came to the breakfast table.

"So today's the big day, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said softly.

"Nervous?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Not really." Her marks had been at the top of the class the previous year.

"You'll do fine. I know you will." He kissed her cheek before leaving, and she had a smile on her face for the rest of the morning.

* * *

Paul found a small house near the Waltons to move into. Elizabeth spent most of one weekend helping him pack.

"It's gonna be really different not having you around the house anymore," she told him.

He touched her cheek. "I'll be right nearby. It's not like I'm moving to California."

"Yeah, I know."

He came to her and put his arms around her. Surprised but elated, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'll still come around a lot, I promise."

The weather turned cooler, and the leaves changed color and began to fall from the trees. One chilly morning was the start of a very special day for Elizabeth.

"Good morning, birthday girl!" John greeted his youngest daughter.

"It's so hard to believe you're eighteen years old now!" Olivia exclaimed.

She'd made her daughter's favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes. "Thanks, Mom," Elizabeth said as she gobbled them down.

Aimee was waiting to walk to school with her as usual. "Happy birthday!" she cried. "This is for you."

Elizabeth opened the package her friend handed her to find a pair of pearl earrings inside. "Thank you!" she said as she gave her friend a hug.

When Elizabeth got home from school that day, her parents gave her her birthday presents from them. Her father had given her a copy of the novel 'Gone With The Wind.'

"I remember how you liked the movie," he told her. "I thought you might enjoy reading the book as well."

Olivia had knitted her daughter a sweater for her birthday. "It's beautiful, and so soft!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Thank you!" She hugged both her parents.

About thirty minutes before dinnertime, the doorbell rang. To Elizabeth's great joy, Paul stood there dressed in his nicest clothes and holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Happy birthday!" he said to Elizabeth, handing the flowers to her.

"They're lovely! Thank you!" she exclaimed.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Where?"

"I'm taking you out to dinner and a movie for your birthday." He hesitated. "If you want to go, that is."

"I'd love to," said Elizabeth. "Just let me change first."

"You look fine just as you are," Paul assured her.

"Are you sure?"

He laughed. "Of course I am!"

He took her to the nicest restaurant in town. "I've never been here before," she confessed.

"Neither have I," he said. "A co-worker at the mill told me about it."

While they waited for their meals to arrive, Elizabeth asked Paul about his childhood in Wisconsin.

"The winters are much colder there than they are here," he told her. "Some of my earliest memories are of spending the morning sledding down the hill and then coming inside to drink hot apple cider by the fireplace."

"Sounds really cozy," Elizabeth remarked. "So, did you ever have a girlfriend back in Germany?"

"There was a girl named Gretchen." Paul's eyes held a faraway look. "She sat right beside me in school, and we used to spend every spare minute in class talking to each other. She was very intelligent, just like you are, Elizabeth. We used to talk about our dreams for the future. One day she just never showed up for class. I never heard from her again."

"Gosh, that's really strange," said Elizabeth. "I wonder whatever happened to her?"

"She was Jewish," Paul said grimly.


	6. The Enchanted Cottage

"Oh." Everything was silent for a few minutes. "Well, maybe she and her family were able to escape in time," Elizabeth suggested.

Paul sighed. "I've always hoped so."

Their food arrived, and the conversation slowed for a few minutes. "That was delicious," Elizabeth said to Paul when they were finished eating. "Thank you for taking me out to dinner."

"You're very welcome," Paul replied. "The night isn't over, you know. We still have the movie."

The movie he took her to see was called 'The Enchanted Cottage.' As they were watching it, Elizabeth felt Paul's hand slip into hers. A thrill of joy went through her as she grasped it firmly. They held hands all the way through the movie, and then Paul drove her back home and walked her to the doorstep.

"I had a really nice time tonight," Paul told Elizabeth. "Thanks for going out with me."

"Thank you for taking me out," Elizabeth replied. "I had a very nice time, too."

"Would it be all right if I kissed you?" asked Paul.

"I'd like that," said Elizabeth.

Softly his lips met hers. She thought that it felt very nice.

"Good-night, Elizabeth." Lightly he touched her hair before walking back to his car.

Over the next few weeks, it became routine for Paul to take Elizabeth out to dinner and a movie every Friday night. He often visited her on Saturdays as well, and they went fishing or for walks in the woods, talking about all kinds of things.

"So, what was it like to grow up in such a large family?" Paul asked Elizabeth one day.

"Being the youngest girl meant I never got new clothes or shoes," Elizabeth replied. "Mary Ellen's clothes and shoes always got handed down first to Erin and then to me, and they were usually pretty well worn by the time I got them."

"But at least you had a lot of playmates," said Paul. "Mathias wasn't born until I was twelve, so I was an only child for most of the time I was growing up."

"I can't even imagine what that would be like." Elizabeth laughed.

Paul grinned. "I'll bet."

She told him stories of her childhood growing up on Walton's Mountain, of how she was badly traumatized by a Ferris wheel ride at the carnival one year, the time she'd broken both legs after tumbling from a stack of loose logs and the temporary paralysis that had followed, the strange events that had surrounded her thirteenth birthday, the sad loss of her teacher, Ms. Lamphere. He told her about moving from Wisconsin to Germany at a young age and of adjusting to a different culture and surroundings. Having been raised bilingual, he'd already known the language.

"It must be fascinating to know two languages," Elizabeth remarked.

"I suppose I've always just taken it for granted," Paul replied. "I could teach you German, if you like."

"That would be great!"

He taught her many words and phrases: _'ja', nein', 'bitte', 'danke', 'hallo', 'auf wiedershen'. _He played _'Muss I Denn'_ on his guitar and sang it for her.

"It's funny how much alike some words sound in German and English," Elizabeth remarked one day.

"That's because English is a Germanic language," Paul told her. "The Anglo-Saxons and Celts who settled the British Isles were originally from Germany. They brought their language with them. If you've ever heard Old English spoken, it sounds remarkably like German."

John and Olivia invited Paul to spend Thanksgiving with them. Having lived his earliest years in Wisconsin, he was familiar with the tradition. Olivia prepared her usual meal, and everyone enjoyed watching little Virginia toddle around. She could say many words and even a few sentences now. John Curtis could talk fluently now and was full of questions.

"It must be nice to have a niece and a nephew," Paul remarked.

"I love both of them very much," Elizabeth replied. "I've always thought of babysitting them as practice for when I have my own kids."

Paul smiled.


	7. The Accident

After Thanksgiving came Christmas. Elizabeth looked forward to being able to spend most of the day with Paul very much. He arrived at the Waltons' home at about ten o'clock that morning, laden with presents for everyone and bundled up warmly, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Well, hello there!" Olivia exclaimed. "Come on in! Don't just stand there shivering!"

"Thank you, ma'am," Paul replied in his slightly shy way. His whole face lit up when he saw Elizabeth. Together they went into the living room, where the rest of the family sat listening to the radio. They all greeted Paul politely.

"So how's the job at the saw mill working out for you?" Jim-Bob asked him.

"It's going very well so far," Paul replied. "I make enough to meet all my basic expenses plus send a little to my family in Germany, and I even have a little bit left over for savings."

"Paul is one of our hardest workers," added Ben.

"How's your family, Paul?" asked Olivia.

"They're doing all right, considering," Paul told her. "My father's still pretty depressed about the outcome of the war. My mother does what she can to cheer him up. Mathias is really growing fast. Already has an eye for the ladies, my mother says." Everybody laughed.

"So what are you saving up for, Paul?" asked Jason.

"That's none of your business!" Ben told his brother. Paul looked at him gratefully.

Soon dinner was ready, and after everyone had eaten, it was time to exchange presents. Elizabeth had bought Paul a pair of warm socks, and now she wondered whether that had been enough or if she should have gotten him more, especially when she saw that his gift to her was a beautiful necklace.

"I hope you like it," he said shyly.

"I love it!" she exclaimed, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

She watched his eyes as he opened her present to him, hoping that she wouldn't see disappointment in them. To her relief, they lit up when he saw the socks.

"Thank you!" he said. "These will really come in handy on cold winter nights! I think I'll put them on as soon as I get home!"

After awhile he asked Elizabeth if she wanted to go on a walk with him. The cold air outside was sharp and crisp but refreshing. As Elizabeth inhaled, it gave her a tingly feeling. Paul seemed very nervous, absentmindedly kicking rocks and watching them skip across the bare ground. Elizabeth hoped that it wasn't because of anything she'd said or done.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," he began. "The first time I saw you, Elizabeth, I knew that you were special. During the time I've gotten to know you, my feelings for you have grown stronger and stronger. What I'm trying to say is..." He dropped to one knee and took her hand. "I love you, Elizabeth. Will you marry me?"

She gasped, surprised. "You mean _now?"_

He laughed and shook his head. "Oh, no. After you're finished with school."

"After I graduate...why, yes, of course!"

He laughed as he embraced her, then slipped the ring onto her finger.

* * *

Over the next few days, she couldn't stop staring at it, turning it around and around on her finger. Having always thought of herself as a little girl in the back of her mind, she was having a very hard time thinking of herself as being old enough to be someone's wife.

She'd shown the ring to the rest of her family right away, of course. Everyone had smiled and congratulated her, and for the rest of the day, she'd been on top of the world.

When school started back and Aimee stopped by the house to pick her up, she held up her hand to show her friend the ring first thing.

"Wow, Elizabeth!" Aimee exclaimed. "Paul?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"When?"

"After I graduate this summer."

The two girls chatted happily all the way to school. Aimee had long ago lost her jealousy of Paul and Elizabeth's relationship.

Winter soon became spring, and the days grew longer. Paul and Elizabeth now saw green grass and flowers when they went for walks.

One day Elizabeth was sitting in class listening to her teacher when she heard a commotion outside and, a moment later, a knock on the door. The teacher opened it to reveal Ben, whose face bore a panicked expression.

"There was an accident at the mill!" he gasped. "Paul's been hurt real bad!"


	8. The Medicine

All the blood drained from Elizabeth's face, and she felt as if her legs were moving of their own accord as she jumped up from her seat and raced to her brother's side. "What happened?" she demanded.

"The slicer went into his abdomen," Ben told her. "He's lost a lot of blood. The ambulance just rushed him to the hospital."

"Take me to him!" Elizabeth cried. She followed Ben out to his car, and he drove her to the hospital as quickly as he could. They entered the emergency room to find it nearly deserted. "Can you please tell me where Paul Brimmer is?" she asked the receptionist.

The woman quickly checked her records. "He's in surgery right now," she told Elizabeth.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get back to Cindy and Ginny," Ben told his sister. "Do you want me to run you by the house first?"

"I'm not leaving until I see Paul," Elizabeth replied.

"All right," said Ben. "I'll tell Mom and Dad where you are."

About a half hour later, John and Olivia arrived at the hospital to wait with their daughter. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry!" Olivia exclaimed as she hugged her youngest daughter.

They waited for what seemed like hours until at last a physician came to talk to them. "He survived the operation," the physician told the Waltons. "He's resting in recovery now. The damage was quite extensive, and it's too soon to tell whether he'll live. The risk of infection is great."

"When can I see him?" asked Elizabeth.

"You can go in and sit with him if you like," said the physician. She entered the room to see Paul lying perfectly still. He was very pale, his eyes were closed, and his abdomen was covered with bandages. Elizabeth watched as his chest gently rose and fell.

Sitting beside the bed, she took his hand into her own. It felt warm to the touch. "Oh, Paul," she said softly, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

After awhile, his eyelids fluttered and then blinked open. They looked all around, then fell on Elizabeth. "Elizabeth?" His voice sounded so tired and weak that it broke her heart. "What happened?"

"You were hurt at the saw mill, Paul," she told him. "You got cut by a slicer, but you've just had surgery and you're going to be all right."

"It hurts..." Paul moaned, clutching his abdomen.

"I'll see if I can find the nurse," said Elizabeth. She left the room and walked to the nurse's station. "Paul needs something for pain," she told the nurse on duty.

The nurse checked her chart. "He's already on the maximum dose," she told Elizabeth. "He can't have any more until tonight. I'm sorry."

Elizabeth returned to Paul's room to find that he'd drifted back to sleep.

For several days she rushed to the hospital to sit with Paul every day after school and stayed with him until visiting hours were over. He slept a good deal of the time, and when he was awake, Elizabeth regaled him with stories of what had happened at school that day or at home with her family. "I got a hundred percent on the quiz today," she told him one day. He smiled weakly. "Jim-Bob and Erin had an argument over the last piece of corn bread," she told him another time. "Mom had to cut it in half."

One day she was reading to him when he spoke to her. "I feel really strange..." She saw that his abdomen looked very swollen, and that he was sweating profusely. She touched him and then drew back her hand in shock. His skin felt as if it were on fire.

Panicked, she rushed out of the room in search of the physician. "You must come now!" she told him when she saw him. "Something's terribly wrong with Paul!"

The physician dashed to the room and quickly examined Paul, then turned to Elizabeth. "He's burning up with fever," he told her. "His wound has become infected. An infection this serious almost invariably proves to be fatal. I'm very sorry."

Elizabeth was crushed. She loved Paul very much, and to lose him would hurt more than anything had ever hurt before. Tears filled her eyes, and her heart was filled with despair until the physician continued.

"There is one shred of hope. It's a new medicine that's been in use for several years now. If I'm able to obtain a supply of it from the manufacturer, it might save Paul."


	9. The Graduation

"It's called penicillin," the physician continued. "It was developed from bread mold and was used several years ago to treat victims of the Cocoanut Grove fire in Boston. It cured their infected skin grafts, and I think it might help Paul, too. It's a long shot, but it's our only option at this point."

"But how could anything that could possibly be of any use come from bread mold?" Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears.

"I don't understand it," the physician replied. "It's one of the miracles of modern day science."

The miracle drug arrived and was administered to Paul. For the first several days there seemed to be no improvement in his condition, and Elizabeth despaired of his ever recovering. However, on the fourth day, she entered his hospital room to see him sitting up in bed, smiling and eating lunch.

"Paul! You're better!" She was so happy that she rushed to him and embraced him. He hugged her back.

"Hi, Elizabeth," he greeted her. "I must have given you quite a scare, didn't I?"

"Oh, Paul, I was so afraid I was going to lose you!" she exclaimed.

"I know," he said softly, holding her tight for a moment. "I don't remember much except for the pain. This morning I woke up and felt really hungry, so I called for the nurse. She told me they've just started me on a new medication. I don't remember what she called it, but whatever it is, it's great!"

"It sure is," Elizabeth agreed.

"How's school been?" asked Paul.

"Fine," she told him. "Although lately I've been so worried about you it's been harder to keep my mind on my studies."

"It was really sweet of you to worry about me." Paul smiled.

"Of _course _I was worried about you! I love you!"

"I love you too, Lizzie." That was his special nickname for her.

Paul continued to improve, and by the end of the week, he was released from the hospital. Friday night he pulled up in front of the Waltons' home and rang the doorbell. Elizabeth hurried to let him in. He stood smiling and holding a red rose out to her.

"Ready to go out for dinner?" he asked.

* * *

Elizabeth graduated with Aimee and her other friends on a bright, sunny day in early June. "I'm so proud of you," Olivia said as she adjusted her daughter's cap. "You've done so well!"

"Smart girl," John said approvingly.

"Hard worker," Olivia added.

Finding her place amongst the other graduates, Elizabeth's eyes searched the crowd for Paul. She found him at last, and he smiled brilliantly at her.

One by one the students were called to the front to receive their diplomas. When it was her turn, Elizabeth felt everyone's eyes on her. She knew that one pair of eyes belonged to Paul and felt very happy that he was there to share her special day with her.

When the ceremony was finally over, all Elizabeth's relatives crowded around her to hug and congratulate her. "Congratulations, Elizabeth," Paul said as he embraced her. "You did very well. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you," she replied.

He took her out to their favorite restaurant for lunch to celebrate. "I remember my own high school graduation," he said. "My parents were so proud, and I was so happy. But I didn't really have time to enjoy my freedom because I had to join the army right away."

Elizabeth had a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she had to know. "Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No."

She sighed with relief and he grinned. "What would you have done if I'd said yes?"

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Well, it _was _a war," she said softly. "So I suppose it would have been understandable."

"I don't think I could have lived with myself if I had," he told her.

Elizabeth wondered whether any of her brothers had ever killed an enemy soldier. She knew that it was not the kind of thing she could ever ask any of them.

After lunch he took her to the river and they walked hand in hand along the bank. "So what will you do with your mornings now?" asked Paul.

"I suppose between helping Mom and my sisters and planning our wedding, I'll stay pretty busy," Elizabeth replied.

"Just think," said Paul. "After we're married, we can spend not only the day together, but the night as well."

"I can hardly wait!" Elizabeth exclaimed.


	10. The Wedding

The day before her wedding, Elizabeth went to visit her older sister, Mary Ellen. "Hi, Elizabeth!" Mary Ellen said. "How have you been? Would you like a glass of tea?"

"Yes, thanks," said Elizabeth. "There's something I've had on my mind that I wanted to talk to you about," she said as she and her sister were sitting together at the table with their glasses of iced tea before them.

"Sure, hon. What is it?" asked Mary Ellen.

"Well, you've been married twice," Elizabeth began.

"Mm hm."

"So, what's it like? The wedding night, I mean."

"What do you want to know about it?"

"Well, does it hurt? I mean, I love Paul, but I'm kind of scared about it. I can't help but think that it must be terribly awkward. I mean, I've never even undressed in front of a man before, except for at the doctor's."

Mary Ellen smiled. "You're right," she said. "It is a bit awkward and uncomfortable the first time, but it's the most special thing a man and a woman can share together. It brings you closer in a way nothing else can."

Elizabeth felt a little bit better after talking to her sister, but she still felt somewhat apprehensive. She was so excited that she got little sleep that night.

The following day, Olivia fussed over her youngest daughter like she never had before. She wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for Elizabeth's special day. She zipped up her daughter's white dress and adjusted her veil. When she was finished, Elizabeth lifted the veil and looked at herself in the mirror.

_At this time tomorrow, I'll be Mrs. Paul Brimmer, _she told herself. The words thrilled her but also frightened her just a little bit.

At the church, she waited nervously in the foyer with her father until she heard the beginning strains of Wagner's Wedding March. At her first sight of Paul in his tuxedo, her heart began to hammer madly in her chest. Never before had she ever seen him so nicely dressed. She let go of her father's arm and grasped Paul's, and the ceremony began.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," Reverend March began. "Should there be anyone who objects to this union, let him speak now or forever hold his peace."

Elizabeth waited a long moment and then sighed with relief when nobody said anything.

"Who gives this woman to be married?" Reverend March continued.

"I do," said John.

"Paul Juergen Brimmer, do you take Elizabeth Tyler Walton to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor and cherish her, forsaking all others, until death do you part?"

"I do," Paul said quietly.

"Elizabeth Tyler Walton, do you take Paul Juergen Brimmer to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, and cherish him, forsaking all others, until death do you part?"

"I do," Elizabeth whispered, praying that her voice wouldn't shake.

"Do you have the ring?" asked Reverend March.

Paul nodded, then groped in his pocket for it. One minute it was in his hand, and the next he'd dropped it. After a few seconds of frantic searching, he'd secured it once more. "With this ring, I thee wed," he said as he slipped it onto Elizabeth's finger.

"By the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," said Reverend March. "You may kiss the bride."

Paul raised Elizabeth's veil and kissed her lips. Everyone cheered and threw rice as the new couple began to exit the church.

A reception followed at the Walton's house. Olivia had spent many hours making and decorating a four-tiered wedding cake, and there was also punch and various finger foods. Paul and Elizabeth each cut a slice of cake to feed to one another. Then all the guests mingled and chatted. Everyone hugged and congratulated Elizabeth. It seemed like a long time before someone lightly touched her arm and she turned to look into Paul's grinning face. "Let's get out of here," he said.

They dashed to his car and he drove them home, where he laughingly picked her up and carried her over the threshold, then set her down gently. She walked from room to room, looking at all the brand new furniture and furnishings, the curtains and shelves. "All this is really ours?" she asked in wonder.

"All of it." Paul went to her and hugged her from behind. "Now you know what I was saving up for," he continued with a grin. "I hope you like it."

"I love it!" she assured him.

They ate a simple supper together and then stood outside with their arms around one another, watching the sunset. That night, Elizabeth took a bath and slipped on her nightgown, then sat in bed waiting for Paul. He came to her and joined her in bed, where he began to kiss her passionately.

Soon she began to feel a yearning ache, a desire she'd never felt before, and when he gently slipped her nightgown over her head and began to explore her body with his fingers, it increased exponentially. Eagerly she helped him to remove her panties, and when his fingers deftly slipped between her legs, she felt a white hot thrill such as she'd never experienced before.

He started to enter her, then paused. "I don't want to hurt you, Lizzie," he said.

"That's all right," she replied. "I don't mind if it hurts a little."

With a grunt he pushed into her, and she felt a short, sharp pain that was over with very quickly. Euphoria followed as her new husband moved inside her, their bodies joining together in the ultimate act of love.

He moaned softly as he filled her with his seed, then rolled off her and held her tightly. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Are you?"

"I'm fine too." He chuckled. "Sweet dreams, Lizzie. I love you."

"I love you, too," she said. She lay awake for awhile, thinking about what Mary Ellen had told her. Within moments, she heard Paul's gentle snoring.


	11. The Ferris Wheel

Elizabeth awakened the following morning to find herself lying in an unfamiliar bed beneath an unfamiliar ceiling. Then she became aware of Paul's nearness and remembered the previous night. She looked at him to see that he was already awake. His eyes met hers, and he smiled at her. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she replied.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yes, did you?"

"I slept very well, thanks." Following their new intimacy, they suddenly felt shy around one another. To Elizabeth, it seemed almost like meeting him again for the first time; yet at the same time, there was definitely a special bond between them now that hadn't been there before. She wondered whether Paul felt it too but wasn't quite sure how to ask him about it. She thought it might just be a 'woman' thing.

She and Paul had one glorious week to spend together, and then he had to go back to work at the saw mill. Elizabeth enjoyed cleaning her new house and cooking. To her, it was just like playing house, only now it was for real. Then came the evening she tried cooking Paul's favorite meal, Sauerbraten, and absolutely nothing would come out right. She overcooked the sauerkraut and it turned out all mushy, the dumplings came out all lumpy, and while she was trying to salvage them, she forgot about the pot roast and burned it. Her husband came home to find the kitchen in total disarray and his wife sobbing uncontrollably. He took one look at the burned pot roast and the lumpy dumplings and couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Don't you _dare _laugh!" Elizabeth exploded. "It's not funny at all!" She turned and ran down the hall to the bedroom.

"Honey, come back! I'm sorry!" Paul raced after her and caught up to her.

"I wanted it to be special for you," she moaned.

"Oh, Lizzie." He embraced her and held her close. "It's all right. We can just cut off the burned part, and everything else is still edible."

She continued to sob, and he patted her back, trying to calm her down. "Tell you what," he said at last. "After dinner, I'll take you out for ice cream. How's that sound?"

She looked into his eyes and gave him a small smile.

"C'mon." Lightly he touched her cheek. "You can do better than that."

She grinned.

"That's better."

* * *

The summer passed quickly, and in the fall, the carnival came to Walton's Mountain, as it did every year. Paul took Elizabeth, and they rode the merry-go-round and a few other rides, ate cotton candy and candied applies, and played games. Paul won a giant stuffed bear for Elizabeth by throwing darts at balloons and popping them. Eventually they came to the Ferris wheel, and the smile disappeared from Elizabeth's face.

"C'mon," Paul gently urged her. "It'll be fun!" Her eyes grew wide as she shook her head emphatically.

"I'll hold your hand the entire time," Paul offered, knowing that his wife needed to face and overcome her childhood fear.

"Well..." she gazed at the ride uncertainly. Paul smiled encouragingly at her. "All right," she conceded with a sigh.

He helped her to climb into the seat, climbed in beside her, and clasped her hand. As the operator fastened the bar securely in place, he saw the look of panic on her face. "It's all right," he said, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. As the ride began to move, she stared straight ahead. When it got to the very top, it stopped. A sudden gust of wind made the car sway slightly, and she gasped.

"This is pretty romantic, don't you think?" Paul remarked. "From way up here, you can see beyond the fair grounds to some of the farms as well."

Elizabeth snuggled a little closer to her husband. "You know, it _is _kind of romantic." Paul switched hands and put his arm around her and pulled her to him. She looked at him and smiled, and they kissed.

As the Ferris wheel began its descent, Elizabeth seemed to have completely forgotten about her previous apprehension.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Paul asked after the ride had stopped.

"I really enjoyed it," Elizabeth told him. "I'm glad you talked me into it."

"So am I," Paul replied.

* * *

Cold weather arrived, and Elizabeth and Paul began to light their fireplace at night. Often, Elizabeth fell asleep cuddling with Paul while they sat on the sofa enjoying the fireplace's warmth and listening to the radio.

"How am I supposed to share my day with you if you keep falling asleep on me?" Paul teased.

"I do seem to get tired a lot more easily these days," Elizabeth observed. She also discovered that her sense of smell seemed to have increased exponentially. She could hardly bear to cook anymore, as the aroma of the meat now made her feel extremely queasy. She nearly swooned one evening, and Paul caught her in his arms.

"You're going to see the doctor tomorrow," he told her.

The next day, she fairly danced home from her check-up. She couldn't wait to tell Paul that he was going to be a father.


	12. The Illness

That evening, Paul didn't come home from work at the time he usually did. As another fifteen, then thirty, minutes passed, Elizabeth became very worried. While attempting to keep dinner warm, she tried desperately to push from her mind vivid imagery of her husband lying bleeding and unconscious in some ditch.

Forty-five minutes after she expected him to come home, she finally heard the door open and saw him enter the house. She was so glad to see him that she didn't even notice how smudged and grimy he was. "Paul!" She rushed to him and hugged him tight, but he gently pushed her away.

"I just don't want to get you all dirty," he said apologetically.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I had a blow out," he told her. "It took me forever to figure out how to take the old tire off and put the new one on. This really nice older man came along after awhile and helped me. His name's Mike, and he's a mechanic. Said he's got a couple of sons who are almost done with school, and he's teaching them the trade."

"You must be starving," said Elizabeth. "I tried to keep the food warm as best I could."

"I need to shower and change before I even think about doing anything else." He was already in the bathroom and had the shower running when she realized that she still hadn't told him her news. After a few minutes, she heard the shower shut off, and a moment or two later, Paul emerged wearing clean clothing. He smiled and held his arms out to her, and she went into them.

"Paul, I..."

"I smell the delicious aroma of bratwurst, and I'm starving!" Since marrying Paul, Elizabeth had become familiar with many more different kinds of sausages than she'd ever even known existed. Even so, he was always complaining about the lack of availability of some of his favorite kinds on Walton's Mountain.

Elizabeth decided to wait until after he'd eaten and she'd cleaned up to share her news. An hour or so later, they were cuddling together on the sofa with Paul's arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "Did you want to say something to me earlier?" he asked, then remembered. "Oh, yeah, your doctor's appointment! How did that go?"

Now that the moment had finally come, she suddenly found herself unsure exactly how to tell him. "I'm perfectly healthy."

"And?" His eyes widened, as he suspected that more was coming.

"For an expectant mother." She grinned at him.

"Really?" His face showed first surprise, then delight. "Lizzie, that's great!" He laughed as he hugged and kissed her. "I can't wait to tell my parents!"

"Me neither," said Elizabeth. "I wanted you to be the first to know, but I want to tell them soon too, but in person, not over the phone."

"I'm a bit tired tonight," Paul said. "We'll go see them tomorrow evening, all right?"

"Sure, that's fine."

That night he made love to her very gently, and then she fell asleep in his arms.

* * *

Predictably, John and Olivia were thrilled at the prospect of another grandchild, and all Elizabeth's brothers and sisters were also happy that they were going to have a new niece or nephew. One day in early December, Elizabeth was babysitting Ginny when the four-year-old girl began complaining of a sore throat. Elizabeth felt of her forehead. "My God, you're burning up!" she exclaimed. She gave her niece an aspirin and told her to lie down and rest.

Cindy arrived a couple of hours later, and Elizabeth explained the situation to her. "I'm taking her to the doctor right away!" Cindy exclaimed. Elizabeth didn't hear anything else from her for the rest of the day.

"You seem distracted," Paul commented as they were eating dinner together that evening.

"I was babysitting Ginny earlier today and she got sick," Elizabeth replied. "Cindy took her to the doctor, but I never heard anything after that. I'm gonna call her right after dinner!"

Paul now looked concerned as well. "I sure hope she's all right!"

Elizabeth called her sister-in-law as soon as she'd finished doing the dishes. "Hi, I was just calling to find out what the doctor said about Ginny," she said.

"He ran some tests, but he told me it looks like polio," Cindy replied grimly.

"Oh, no!" Elizabeth almost dropped the receiver.

"What is it?" asked Paul.

"Ginny has polio!" Elizabeth cried.

Paul stood and walked to the window, where he stood very still, staring out, not saying a word. He stood that way for a long time, then sighed heavily and came to Elizabeth and embraced her.

Not much was said between the pair for the rest of that week. They were both thinking the same thing but were too afraid to say anything about it.

One morning, Elizabeth woke up shivering so badly that she couldn't even get out of bed.


	13. The Ordeal

"Lizzie? What's wrong?" Paul was deeply worried.

"I don't know," Elizabeth said weakly. "I just feel so cold..."

Paul went to his wife and held her tight. "You're burning up!" he exclaimed. "I'm fetching the doctor right away!"

The doctor arrived and checked Elizabeth. "It looks like you have a bad case of the flu," he told her. "I recommend lots of bed rest and plenty of fluids for a couple of weeks."

"Will it hurt the baby?" asked Elizabeth.

"The baby will be fine, as long as you follow my instructions," the doctor replied.

"But I've been exposed to polio," said Elizabeth. "I was babysitting Ginny Walton the day she got sick."

The doctor's expression turned grave. He asked Elizabeth if she could move her feet, and she did so. "It's a good sign that you can move your feet," he told her. "But we'll just have to hope and pray."

Elizabeth was hardly able to get out of bed at all for several days. Paul still had to go to work at the saw mill, but when he was home, he took care of his wife as well as he could, making her chicken soup and feeding it to her and coaxing her to drink orange juice.

On the fifth day, she was finally able to creep around the house attempting to catch up on the badly neglected housework, but Paul came home from work that day looking very pale and shaky and went right to bed without even eating dinner.

"Oh, no!" Elizabeth moaned. Still feeling half-sick herself, she did her best to care for her husband as he'd cared for her, and in several days, he was feeling just a little bit better.

"I think I'll live," he said with a grin one morning as he got out of bed and began to get dressed.

"Are you sure you feel like going back to work?" Elizabeth asked him.

"I've missed too much work already," he replied. "The expenses are piling up."

"But I'm afraid you'll get even sicker," Elizabeth objected.

"Aw, don't worry about me," said Paul. "Do you have any idea how scared I was that you might have polio?"

"I know," Elizabeth said softly. "I was scared to death myself." She placed one hand protectively over her still-flat abdomen.

"Well, thank God you're better now." Paul placed his own hand over hers.

"You be careful," said Elizabeth.

"Of course I will." He gave her a quick hug and kiss and then was gone. He was coughing quite badly when he came home from work that day, but gradually they both grew stronger.

Christmas that year was a bittersweet day for the Waltons. Little Ginny was no longer running a fever and sleeping all the time, but Ben had to carry her, as she wasn't able to walk at all. "The doctor is sending her to a neighboring town for physical therapy," Cindy told the rest of the family. "He's hoping she'll be able to get some of the strength in her legs back and can hopefully eventually walk with a walker and braces."

Cindy looked so sad that Elizabeth wanted to cry. Her heart ached for her young niece. Still, for the sake of the little girl, she put on a happy face and tried to act cheerful. "I'm so glad you're feeling better now!" she told Ginny.

"Yeah, me too." Ginny grinned. "And when I can walk again in the summer, my Daddy's gonna teach me how to swim!"

Elizabeth's eyes met Paul's, and neither of them said anything. "I feel almost guilty when I look at Ginny," she said to her husband later, as he was driving them home.

"Why?" he asked. "It's not your fault she got sick."

"I know." Elizabeth sighed. "It's just that sometimes I feel like I have no right to be so happy and excited about the baby when her life will probably never be the same again."

Paul didn't say anything until they were home. When they were, he took her hands into his own and looked into her eyes. "Look," he said. "What happened to Ginny is very sad, but sometimes things like that just happen. Nobody knows why, and nobody can help it, but it's a waste of time to always be sad about it. Ginny's happy and excited about the future, and we should be happy too. She wouldn't want us just sitting around feeling sorry for her all the time."

"You're right, of course." Elizabeth smiled. "Silly me."

"You're not silly at all," Paul replied. "You're a very loving, caring person, and that's why I love you so much."

January and February passed, and one day in early March, Elizabeth was ironing one of Paul's work shirts when she felt a mild flutter in her lower abdomen. At first she didn't know what it was, but when it happened again, it dawned on her. _The baby! _She felt a thrill of excitement go through her. _I can't wait to tell Paul!_

She didn't feel the baby move again, however, until she and her husband were cuddling together on the sofa after dinner, listening to the radio. It was ever so slight but definitely there. She took Paul's hand and gently placed it on her abdomen.

"What is it?" He was puzzled.

"Wait," she said. "Maybe it will come again." A few minutes later, she felt the slight flutter again, and Paul's eyes widened as he grinned with delight. "Maybe he'll be a football player!"

"Or maybe _she _will be a ballerina," Elizabeth countered.

Paul was still grinning as he shook his head. "Nope, sorry. Football player."


	14. The Haunting

It was a hot, muggy day in July. Elizabeth was struggling to wash the dishes while simultaneously fanning herself with an old church bulletin. All the windows in the house were open, yet the small electric fan in the kitchen did little to combat the oppressive heat. She was now entering her ninth month of pregnancy, and the doctor had told her that her baby could come 'any day now.' She felt as big as a house and couldn't wait to have the whole thing over with.

Suddenly she heard whimpering coming from outside the door and went to investigate. To her surprise, she saw a filthy and very pregnant cocker spaniel standing there. The dog looked at her and whimpered. "Paul! Come quick!" she called to her husband, who was relaxing in the living room. She heard his footsteps and then he appeared.

"She looks like she's starving," Elizabeth said. "Don't we have anything we could feed her?"

"Come here, girl." Paul whistled, and the dog walked up to him. He stroked her fur, and she nuzzled his hand with her nose. "Let's see what we can find."

He got some scraps that had been left over from dinner, put them into a bowl, and set the bowl on the floor. The dog practically inhaled it in almost no time at all.

"Poor little thing!" Elizabeth cried. "She must have been starving!"

"Almost ready to deliver as well," Paul added, feeling the dog's swollen abdomen. Searching for something else to feed her, he came up empty-handed, so he poured some milk into a bowl and set it on the floor. The dog drank every drop, and then Paul picked her up and carried her into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, the dog walked back into the kitchen, where she shook herself mightily. "I'll bet that feels a lot better, doesn't it, girl?" asked Paul. The dog licked his hand gratefully.

Elizabeth found a large basket and lined it with an old sheet for the dog to sleep in, and she and Paul went to bed. Several hours later, they heard the dog whimpering. Paul went to check on her. "She's in labor," he told his wife.

They both watched in awe as the first puppy slid out. It was wet and totally limp. Holding a towel, Paul picked it up and rubbed it vigorously, and it began to whimper. "It's a girl," Paul announced.

The next two puppies were both boys, and the fourth puppy never moved, no matter how hard Paul rubbed it with the towel. "It's dead." His voice quivered as he laid the tiny corpse aside. Elizabeth felt goosebumps break out all over her body as a distant traumatic memory returned to her. _Look upon the face of death...never feel your baby's breath..._

Another healthy boy followed, then another healthy girl, then a partially decomposed fetus, which had obviously died inside its mother awhile back. Elizabeth shuddered. Paul helped the surviving puppies to find their mother's teats, then wrapped the two dead ones in an old sheet and took it outside. An hour or so later, he stumbled back into the house and fell asleep beside his dozing wife.

It was near dawn when Elizabeth sat up in bed with a loud cry. "Hey! What is it?" Paul's voice was soft with concern as he embraced her.

"I just had a really bad dream." Her voice shook with emotion.

"Because of the dead puppies?" asked Paul.

Elizabeth nodded. "Right after John Curtis was born, a crazy woman named Cassie kidnapped him. When we found them, she told us that he'd been supposed to die, and since he didn't, it was a sign that he was supposed to take the place of her baby. She'd had a miscarriage right before John Curtis was born."

"Wow, it was sure a good thing that you found him alive and safe!"

"I don't think she would have hurt him," Elizabeth replied. "Later on, I talked to Mary Ellen about it. She said that after Cassie's miscarriage, she'd started following her around and repeating this scary sentence. 'Look upon the face of death, never feel your baby's breath.' Mary Ellen had been the one to take care of her after her miscarriage, so she'd seen the...the dead baby. Mary Ellen was so scared, and now...I'm scared, too."

"Oh, Lizzie." Paul held his wife and comforted her. "That's just an old saying. There's no truth to it at all. Everything's going to be just fine."

* * *

They named the dog Heidi and found good homes for all the surviving puppies. One afternoon Elizabeth went into a sudden cleaning frenzy. She swept the floor, scrubbed the walls, took down the curtains and laundered them, dusted all the furniture, cleaned the bathroom, scrubbed the stove until it shone, and even polished the silverware.

"What's the occasion?" Paul laughed when he got home.

"I don't know." Elizabeth was puzzled herself. "The urge just came over me all of a sudden."

That night, it occurred to her that she hadn't felt the baby move for several hours. Normally it was most active at night, yet tonight, it seemed strangely still. Unwilling to disturb Paul's sleep, she lay awake worried for hours until at last, toward dawn, she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

She almost overslept the following morning, and Paul had to shake her awake. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's all right." He smiled. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yes," she lied. She felt reluctant to say good-bye to him as he left for work that day.

After lunch, she was awakened by an intense contraction, and by the time Paul got home from work, she was in active labor. "I'm fetching the doctor right away!" he exclaimed. After what seemed to Elizabeth like forever, he finally returned with Olivia.

"The doctor wasn't there," he told his wife. "He left word that he's doing an emergency appendectomy. There wasn't time to look for anyone else."

Elizabeth, in tremendous pain, felt a sharp stab of panic. "Everything's going to be all right." Olivia sat beside her daughter and stroked her damp hair comfortingly. "Paul and I will manage just fine."

It was close to midnight when Elizabeth finally felt the urge to push. Her face reddened as she bore down with all her might, time after time. "You're doing fine, sweetheart," Olivia told her. "One more big push."

Elizabeth bore down one more time. She felt a burning sensation, followed by a release.

All was quiet for just a minute, and then she heard the wail of a healthy newborn.


	15. The In-Laws

"You have a fine, healthy baby boy, sweetheart!" Olivia cried happily. She placed the baby on Elizabeth's chest, and Elizabeth lightly touched his back, marveling at the softness of his skin.

"My baby," she whispered. Right away the newborn stopped wailing and opened his eyes, gazing at her with unfocused dark blue orbs.

"Look, Paul! He knows me!" she said to her husband.

"Of course he does." Suddenly Paul was there, grinning from ear to ear. "He's beautiful. You did great, Liz." His voice was husky with emotion as he stroked his wife's damp hair. "I love you so much!"

"Are you hungry?" Elizabeth helped her new son to find a nipple, and he latched on eagerly.

Paul chuckled. "He has to have a name, you know."

"I think we should name him Paul Juergen Brimmer, Junior," said Elizabeth.

"I was thinking I'd like to name him Maximilian, for my father." Paul smiled. "His middle name can be Paul."

"Maximilian Paul Brimmer," said Elizabeth. "That's a nice name." They both watched their new son adoringly for a few minutes. "Now I know how my Mom felt when John-Boy was born," Elizabeth said after awhile.

"Now I know how my father felt when I was born," Paul replied.

"I can't believe I was so scared," said Elizabeth.

Paul laughed. "I _told _you there was nothing to be scared of!"

The summer days passed quickly and pleasantly for Elizabeth. Olivia stayed with her for a week to help with housework while she recuperated, and little Max, as he was called, grew quickly. Elizabeth spent many pleasant afternoons rocking on the front porch with her baby in her arms, talking or singing gently to him while enjoying the sunny weather.

Cindy brought Ginny by to visit every so often. The little girl could now walk with braces on her legs without a limp, and she could even run and was learning to ride a bicycle with training wheels. Elizabeth was very happy to see how well she'd progressed since Christmas.

One Saturday morning, Paul and Elizabeth were going for a walk over the bridge and beside the lake. Elizabeth pushed Max in his carriage. "My family is flying over to visit us in a couple of weeks," Paul announced. "They want to meet Max. You too, of course."

"That's great!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I've been wanting to meet them for so long!"

"And I've wanted for them to meet you for a long time as well."

Two weeks later, they drove to the new airport in an adjoining town. It had only been in use for a couple of years and still looked shiny and brand spanking new. Elizabeth wore her best dress and dressed Max in the cutest outfit she could find. "Do I look all right?" she asked anxiously as she and her husband stood together awaiting his family's arrival.

"For the dozenth time, Elizabeth, you look fine!" Paul laughed.

At last they saw his parents, Max and Elsa, and his younger brother, Mathias. Max looked much like an older version of Paul, except that he was almost completely bald. Elsa had curly light brown hair with only a few white strands and blue eyes, and Mathias was tall and slender with dark brown hair and eyes, like Paul's.

They were all very happy to see their older son, of course, and also greeted Elizabeth warmly. "Paul has told me so much about you," Elsa said as she embraced her daughter-in-law. "It's wonderful to finally meet you!" Max and Elsa both spoke fluent English with slight German accents, and Mathias had an American accent, like his older brother.

"How are things back home?" Paul asked his father.

"There is still much reconstruction to be done." Max looked very sad. "Berlin and many other cities are still in ruins."

All three Brimmers made a big fuss over baby Max, of course. "I don't feel old enough to be an uncle!" Mathias laughed as he held his young nephew.

"I was just about your age when I first became an aunt," Elizabeth told him. "I still remember John Curtis' birth just like it was yesterday."

"I can't wait to introduce you to Jeffrey," Paul added to his brother. Rose and her grandchildren still lived on Walton's Mountain, and Jeffrey and Paul still shared a close friendship.

After awhile, Paul drove the family home. He and Elizabeth had moved the crib into the living room and were planning to sleep there with Mathias and the baby while the older Brimmers stayed in their bedroom. Elizabeth had cleaned and scrubbed until all the furniture and appliances fairly shone, hoping that it would meet with her in-laws' approval and, to her relief, they all seemed pleased with her efforts.

That evening, she prepared an all-American meal of fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad, with peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Everyone complemented her on her cooking skills. Everything seemed to be going really well until the subject of church came up.

"I trust you've found a good Lutheran church that isn't too far away to raise your son in," Elsa commented.

"Actually, we just go with the Waltons to Elizabeth's mother's church," Paul replied. "It's Baptist, but it's still Protestant Christianity, so the beliefs are very similar."

His father was aghast. "Do you mean to say that my grandson has yet to be baptized into the church of our forefathers?" He sounded so upset that Paul and Elizabeth were afraid to answer him. "That must be rectified as quickly as possible!" the elder Max continued.


	16. The Woods

"Do you think it will be a lot like our church?" Elizabeth asked her husband, who stood before the mirror wetting down his hair so that it wouldn't stick up. In black slacks, a green button-down shirt, and a black tie, Paul looked more handsome than ever to Elizabeth this morning.

"I'd imagine so," he replied. "Perhaps a bit larger."

They were preparing for the hour-long drive to the Lutheran church in an adjacent town, where baby Max would be baptized.

"You've been to a Lutheran church before, and I haven't," said Elizabeth. "What's it like?"

Paul grinned. "There are pews to sit in, a podium at the front, an altar, a baptismal font, and hymn books."

Elizabeth giggled. The baby began to cry. She picked him up and began to open her nightgown.

Paul frowned. "We have to leave soon. He took their son from her, and Max howled in protest. "I'll hold him while you finish dressing. You can feed him in the car on the way."

Elizabeth hurriedly dressed, checked herself in the mirror, and hurried out of the house with her husband and in-laws. A little over an hour later, they were pulling into the parking lot of the Lutheran church. The rest of the family arrived shortly afterwards.

The pastor began the ceremony by speaking briefly about the benefits of baptism, then began by making the sign of the cross on the sleeping baby's forehead. "After this child has been baptized, you are at all times to remember him in your prayers, and ensure that he is brought up in the true knowledge and worship of God, and be taught the ten commandments, the Creed, and the Lord's prayer, and that as he grows in years, you place in his hands the Holy Scriptures, bring him to the services of God's house, and provide his further instruction in the Christian faith, that he come to the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, and thus, abiding in his baptismal grace and in communion with the church, he may grow up to lead a Godly life to the praise and honor of Jesus Christ. This, then, do you intend gladly and willingly to do?"

"Yes," answered Elizabeth and Paul. Together they prayed the Lord's prayer.

"Do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his way?" the pastor continued.

"We do renounce them," Paul and Elizabeth replied.

"Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?"

"Yes."

"Maximilian Paul Brimmer, I baptize you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." The pastor sprinkled a few drops of water on the baby's head, and Max awakened and began to cry. "Will you please join me in welcoming the newest member of our spiritual family," the pastor said.

The congregants all came up to Paul and Elizabeth and said hello to them after the service had ended. "Everyone we met seemed so nice," Elizabeth said to Paul after they'd left the church. "If it wasn't such a long drive, I wouldn't mind switching churches and going there instead."

"That's the kind of church I grew up in," Paul replied. "I really miss it sometimes."

Later, there was a big get-together at the Waltons' for dinner, and Jeffrey and Mathias finally got to meet one another.

"You talk just like me." Jeffrey was surprised.

"'Course I do. I mostly grew up in Wisconsin. We didn't move back to Germany until I was older."

"Hey, I know of a great fishing spot near here," Jeffrey said to Mathias after dinner. "Wanna go?"

"Yeah!" Mathias exclaimed.

"You boys be careful," Rose said to her grandson and his new friend, but the boys were already on their way to the lake.

"So, what's it like to be an uncle?" asked Jeffrey.

"It's great! I get to be his godfather, too," Mathias replied.

"Wow." Jeffrey was slightly envious. "I sure wish Serena would hurry up and get married."

The boys found a good spot and cast their lines. Before long, Jeffrey got a bite. A little while later, he got another, and then Mathias got one as well. The boys spent most of the afternoon fishing and then decided to head back to the house to show off their catch.

They'd only gone a few feet when Jeffrey saw an unfamiliar footprint. "Hey, I wonder what kind of animal made that?" he asked.

Mathias frowned. "I've never seen anything like it before, but here's another one. Hey, there's a trail!"

Mesmerized, the two boys followed the tracks until they were quite deep inside the woods. "I don't think we're going to find it," Mathias said after awhile.

"Yeah," Jeffrey agreed. "It's getting dark. We'd better be heading back."

"Come on." Mathias began to walk.

"Are you sure this is the way back?" asked Jeffrey.

"'Course I am!" But the further the two boys walked, the more lost they became, until finally they had no idea where they were.

* * *

"Don't you think the boys should be back by now?" Rose sounded worried.

"You know how it is when you go fishing," said Jim Bob. "You just lose all track of time. I'm pretty sure I know where they went. I used to go there all the time myself when I was younger. I'll go check and make sure they're all right."

"I'll go with you," Paul volunteered.

However, when they reached the lake, all they could find was the pail with the fish in it. Jeffrey and Mathias were nowhere to be found.


	17. The Departure

As it grew darker and darker, Jeffrey's lower lip began to quiver. "I'm s-scared," he muttered in a voice so low that Mathias could hardly hear it.

"Aw, don't be a baby," Mathias sneered. Just then an animal howled, and both boys screamed.

Jim-Bob looked at Paul. "Did you hear that?"

"It came from over there." Paul began to walk swiftly toward the source of the screaming, followed by his brother-in-law. Within a few minutes, they'd reached the frightened boys.

"Dad's going to kill you!" Paul growled as he angrily grabbed his younger brother by the arm and pulled him along. "How _dare _you worry our mother like this!"

"W-we were only looking for the animal that made those footprints," Mathias stammered.

Jim-Bob gave his cousin a look of resignation. "You know your grandma's gonna be real upset at you for wandering off like that."

Jeffrey sighed. "I know," he muttered, trudging behind his cousin.

The group arrived back home about a half hour later. "My baby!" Elsa exclaimed, running to hug and kiss Mathias.

"Where were you?" Rose's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glared at her grandson.

"We were just following some footprints to see where they led," Jeffrey told his grandmother.

"Do you realize how dangerous that was?" asked Rose. "What if you'd met up with a bear?"

"I know." Jeffrey shuddered. "I'll never do it again."

"See that you don't," Rose said sternly. "Now come have your supper."

Elizabeth was sitting on the sofa, nursing baby Max. Paul lightly ran his hand over his son's fuzzy head and bent to kiss his wife. "Where did you find them?" she asked.

"They'd wandered off a short distance into the woods," Paul replied. "I let Mathias have it good. I don't think they'll be doing it again any time soon."

"I'm just glad the boys are getting along so well," said Elizabeth.

Paul grinned. "I knew they would."

He and his wife and son returned to their own home with his parents and Mathias shortly afterwards, and a few days later, the family drove back to the airport to see the elder Brimmers off. Elizabeth felt unexpectedly emotional as she was bidding her in-laws good-bye. "I hope you have a safe trip home," she told Elsa as she hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you, darling," Elsa replied. "I've wanted a daughter for so long, and now I finally have one."

For the next few days, Paul seemed unusually moody and temperamental. He'd go to work and hardly say a word when he came home, immediately plopping down on the sofa to read or listen to the radio and acting almost as if Elizabeth wasn't even there. She became concerned that he was angry with her about something but was too afraid to ask him. She was so worried that she went to visit her mother one day.

"I can't think of a thing I've done wrong," she said to Olivia.

"Most likely you haven't done anything wrong at all," Olivia replied. "He probably just misses his family really badly. They were here for a little while, and now they're gone again. He just has to get used to things being the way they are now again."

"That makes sense," said Elizabeth. "What do you think I could do to cheer him up?"

"You might try making him his favorite dessert," Olivia suggested.

Elizabeth knew that her husband's favorite dessert was black forest cake, so on her way home from her parents' house, she stopped by the Godseys' store for cocoa powder and cherries. "He's adorable!" Cora Beth exclaimed when she saw Max. "How old is he now?"

"Not quite three months," Elizabeth told her.

Just then Aimee appeared. "Oh, he's so cute!" she exclaimed. "Can I hold him?"

Elizabeth took her son from his carrier and handed him to her friend, and Max immediately began to cry. Aimee quickly handed him back to his mother.

"I'm sorry," said Elizabeth. "He usually goes to people he doesn't know without any problem. Maybe he'll let you hold him when he's a little bit older."

She continued home, where she settled Max down for a nap and then got all the ingredients for the cake together. While the cake was baking, she prepared dinner, and when it was finished, she set it aside to cool while she set the table.

Paul arrived while she was icing the cake. She was so absorbed in what she was doing that she wasn't even aware that he'd entered the house until she felt his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind. "Is that a black forest cake?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him. "But you have to eat dinner first."

He kissed her cheek. "You really know the way to my heart."

Max awakened and began to cry. Elizabeth nursed him while she and Paul ate, and when they were finished, she cut the cake and served her husband and herself. "This is delicious, hon," he told her as he ate. "It tastes just like my Mom's."

That night she nursed Max and rocked and sang him to sleep as she normally did. Thinking that Paul must already be asleep, she tried to get into bed as quietly as she could, but she'd no sooner lain down than she felt her husband's arms around her, his lips kissing her hair. Startled, she giggled.

"I never told you what an amorous effect black forest cake has on me, did I?" Paul's voice was husky with passion. As she felt herself melt under his caresses, Elizabeth thought about how happy she was that she'd gone to visit her mother that day.


	18. The Celebration

Winter approached, and after Thanksgiving, the Waltons began to make preparations for Christmas. There would be a new face at the table this year: Jim-Bob's new wife, Stella. Elizabeth had been around her new sister-in-law a few times and got along with her fine. She looked forward to spending another holiday with her large extended family.

The day before Christmas, Paul had to work at the mill all day. Elizabeth had just fed Max and gotten him settled down for an afternoon nap when she heard an ominous clap of thunder. A flash of lightning followed, and soon the rain was coming down in torrents. Feeling drowsy herself, Elizabeth decided to take a nap as well.

She awakened several hours later to find the house almost completely dark. "Oh my God, I'd better start dinner before Paul gets home!" she said to herself.

She turned the light switch to the 'on' position to find that the power had been knocked out. "Oh, no!" she groaned. "How will I fix dinner?"

As the time for Paul to arrive home drew closer and the electricity still didn't return, Elizabeth found some leftover roast beef in the refrigerator to make sandwiches with and some potato salad to go with it.

A couple of hours passed and Paul still didn't return home. It got so dark that Elizabeth had to light a candle. Max awakened and cried, and she nursed him by candle light. She was still feeding him when the door opened and Paul came in. Relief flooded through her. "Paul!" she cried joyfully.

"Hi, Lizzie!" He came to her and gave her a hug and kiss, then gently kissed the forehead of their sleeping son. "Sorry I'm so late. My wheels got stuck in the mud, and I had to wait for someone with a chain to come and pull me out. I hope you didn't worry too much."

"That's all right. "You're home now, and that's all that matters. I'm sorry, but dinner is roast beef sandwiches and leftover potato salad. That's all I had. The power's been out since early this afternoon."

Paul chuckled. "That's all right. I'm hungry enough to eat just about anything."

She noticed that he'd brought two packages in with him. "What are those?"

"I thought we'd have a private little celebration of our own before dinner with your folks tomorrow. I'll show it to you later."

Hungrily he wolfed down the sandwiches and potato salad while she returned the baby to his crib. When he was finished, he piled the dirty dishes in the sink and walked over to sit beside her on the sofa, where he handed her the smaller package. Eagerly she ripped into it to find a matching necklace and earrings with her birthstone, the tourmaline, in them. "Thank you!" she exclaimed excitedly, hugging his neck tightly. "Do you want my present for you tonight?"

"Nah, just save it for tomorrow. I'll give you your other present then as well."

"You got me _two _Christmas presents?" She was stunned.

Paul laughed. "Sure, why not? You're worth it!"

"Oh, Paul..." She felt tears come to her eyes and spill onto her cheeks. Paul tenderly kissed them away.

"Hey, there's still another package to open," he reminded her.

The second package contained a bottle of mulled red wine which Paul said was called 'gluhwein' and a round cheese which he said was called 'raclette'. Elizabeth fetched some bread and crackers from the kitchen and sliced the cheese and poured the wine, and they ate and drank by candlelight. While they were enjoying their snack, the electricity came back on. Paul plugged the Christmas tree's lights into the outlet in the wall, and they burst forth into brilliant color. He began to sing in his rich baritone: _"Oh tannenbaum, oh tannenbaum, wie treu sind deine Blatter!" _

Elizabeth joined him in English on the next line: "Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches!"

They sang several verses of the song, each in their native tongue but together in perfect harmony. The following morning was freezing cold, and Elizabeth had to force herself out of bed and into the nursery, where Max lay wide awake but not crying. "Merry Christmas, Max!" she said as she picked her son up and kissed him. She changed his diaper and then carried him back into the bedroom, where she slipped back underneath the covers with Paul.

"Merry Christmas, little man." Paul kissed the top of Max's head, then his wife's lips.

"It would be so nice just to stay here like this all day long," Elizabeth murmured as she cuddled closer to her husband.

Paul laughed. "I agree, but I'd imagine your family would be disappointed if we didn't come over for dinner."

After awhile Elizabeth made breakfast, and then they got dressed and drove to John and Olivia's. Some of the family members were already there when they arrived. Ginny still wore leg braces, but that didn't seem to hinder her ability to romp and play as before at all. "Hi, Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Paul!" she cried happily when she saw them. She ran to Elizabeth, who held the baby. "Hi, Max!" She held a finger out to him, and he grasped it.

"Hi, sweetheart," Elizabeth said to Ginny as Paul ruffled her hair.

Jim-Bob and Stella arrived next. "He's adorable!" Stella exclaimed. "Can I hold him?"

Elizabeth handed Max to his new aunt. She spoke gently to him, and he cooed back at her. "I can't wait until Jim-Bob and I have one of our own!"

John Curtis came over to say hello. "I can't believe how big you are now!" Elizabeth said to her oldest nephew.

"I lost another tooth." The young boy showed her the gap in his upper gum.

"Great!" Elizabeth replied.

The table was piled high with delicious food, and after everyone had eaten their fill, it was time to exchange presents. Elizabeth received a bottle of her favorite perfume from Paul, and he seemed to really appreciate the light blue wool sweater she'd bought him. Max received many presents from his family members: blankets, booties, hats, toys, and other nice things. Olivia lay him in the middle of her and John's bed, placed all his presents around him, and snapped a photograph of the scene. "I can't wait to see it when it's developed," said Elizabeth.

They didn't leave to return home until it was almost dark. Paul piled all the presents into the back seat, and Elizabeth held her sleeping son as Paul drove back to the house. When they got home, she gently lay him down in the crib and then joined her husband beside the fireplace. Paul put his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'd say Max's first Christmas went really well," she remarked.

"It was wonderful," Paul agreed. "I can't wait to write and tell my family all about it."

Elizabeth reflected that the absence of the Brimmers had been the only sad note to an otherwise perfect day. She thought that perhaps she and Paul could spend Christmas in Germany some day.


	19. The Blockade

It was several days after Easter. Elizabeth noticed that Max felt warmer than he usually did when she lifted him from his crib that morning and frowned in concern. "I hope you're not getting sick, little one."

"Is he all right?" Paul, dressed for work, stepped toward his wife and son and ran his hand over the top of the baby's head.

"He feels warm to me," said Elizabeth. "I sure hope he's not coming down with something."

Paul frowned. He knew that, whatever the case may be, he had to go to work anyway. "Be well, son of mine." He kissed first the top of the baby's head, then Elizabeth's lips, and was off.

Max was so fussy all morning that Elizabeth could barely get anything done. She walked the floor with him, rocked him, and sang to him, all to no avail. When she finally got him settled down for a nap in the late afternoon, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep herself soon afterwards. About a half hour later, she was awakened by his screaming. Quickly she checked his diaper. "Poor baby, no wonder you're so mad!"

She was preparing dinner later when she realized that, to her consternation, she was out of baking soda. Torn between her urgent need and Max's sickly condition, she finally decided that a quick trip to the Godsey's store would do him no harm. She was in the process of buying the baking soda when an April shower started outside and she was forced to wait until it had slackened enough that she could go home.

Arriving at last, she saw that Paul was already home. She entered the house to find him listening to the radio, mesmerized. "The Soviet Union has announced that no cargo may leave Berlin by rail without permission of the Soviet commander."

"What does it mean?" asked Elizabeth. "Is Berlin under siege?"

"The Soviets are trying to starve them into submission," Paul said grimly.

"Oh, no!" Elizabeth was aware that, since the end of the war, the Soviet Union had increasingly become a threat to the west, and especially to occupied Germany. "Can't anything be done?"

"Plans are being made to airlift food and supplies into Berlin."

"What about your family? Are they all right?"

"As far as I know. I'd give anything for a word from them."

Paul sat up listening to the radio until long after Elizabeth had put Max to bed and then turned in herself. She awakened briefly when she felt the mattress sink lightly with his weight several hours later and wrapped her arm around him in an offer of comfort. "Sorry, didn't mean to awaken you," he mumbled.

"That's OK," she whispered back.

Max was much better the following morning. When he opened his mouth to gurgle at his mother when she reached for him, she noticed a tiny sliver of white in his lower gum. "Paul, come look! Max has his first tooth!" she called to her husband.

"Oh, yeah?" Paul walked into the bedroom. Max looked at him and grinned. "Well, what do you know! You'll be eating bratwurst soon!"

"That's a little ambitious," Elizabeth remarked. Paul laughed and swatted her behind.

The excitement over Max's first tooth seemed to have temporarily taken Paul's mind off the situation in his homeland, yet he made a bee line for the radio as soon as he got home that evening. On April 3, President Truman signed the Marshall Plan, and on April 5, a Soviet Air Force fighter collided with a British European Airways airliner, killing all aboard both aircraft. A week and a half later, a letter finally arrived from Max and Elsa. Paul translated for Elizabeth.

_Dear Paul and Elizabeth,_

_I know that you must be quite worried about us, so I am writing to assure you that we are fine. The airplanes bring us everything we need and we want for nothing. However, we have yet to become accustomed to the almost constant sound of roaring engines in the sky. Matthias was very excited when it all began, but lately he has tired of all the noise and yearns for peace and quiet again, as we both do. I daresay the Russians have overstepped their boundaries in worrying and harassing us so, and I strongly suspect that it will probably get worse before it gets better.  
_

_I hope that you are all doing well. Tell John and Olivia that we said hello, and give our precious grandson a hundred kisses for us._

_With all our love,_

_Max and Elsa_

"I'm so glad to know they're all right!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"So am I." Paul held her tight. "More than you'll ever know," he murmured into her neck.

On May 14, a new nation, Israel, was born. Paul and Elizabeth greeted the news with happiness. "As much as they've suffered, they deserve a land of their own," said Elizabeth. Paul thought of his friend Gretchen from school and hoped that she'd survived the war. If she had, was she amongst the celebrants?

"What are you thinking about?" asked Elizabeth.

"Oh, nothing. Just somebody I used to know a long time ago," Paul said quickly.

On June 24, the Soviets severed land and water connections between the non-Soviet zones and Berlin and also halted all rail and barge traffic in and out of the city. If not for the Operation Vittles airlift initiated by General Lucius D. Clay, General Curtis LeMay, and Brigadier General Joseph Smith, Paul's family and their neighbors may well have starved to death. The blockade lasted until May 12 of the following year, when the Soviets finally lifted it.


	20. The Wagon

"Guess what, Max?" Elizabeth said to her son as she lifted him from his crib. "You're one year old today!" Max grinned, showing off his new teeth. He had six now, four on top and two on the bottom.

Paul strode into the bedroom, buttoning his shirt. "How's the birthday boy?"

"Da!" Max exclaimed.

"Here's your 'Da'." Paul took the little boy from his mother. "Everything ready for the party?" Elizabeth had planned a get-together for family and friends at the Brimmer home that evening.

"I think so." Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. "Let's see...cake, check, ice cream, check, balloons, check..."

Paul laughed. "I'm sure you'll do a top notch job, Lizzie, just like you always do." He kissed her lips and then left for work.

Elizabeth spent most of the day getting ready for the party. As she had such a large family, there was a lot of decorating and food and drink preparation to be done. By the time Paul returned home from work that evening, she was quite exhausted.

"Everything looks wonderful, honey," he told her as he kissed her hello.

"I'm so glad you approve." She yawned as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Da da!" Paul and Elizabeth looked to see Max toddling toward them. He saw them looking and gave a clever laugh, promptly falling on his well-padded bottom.

"Paul! He just took his first step!" Overjoyed, Elizabeth picked her son up and gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

Paul laughed. "We're really going to have to watch him now!"

They ate a hurried meal and then waited for their guests to arrive. Ashley, Erin and their two daughters came first. Vivian was three, and Rosemary was a few months older than Max. Vivian had dark auburn hair just like Elizabeth's, while Rosemary's was a shade or two lighter. "Hello!" said Elizabeth.

"Hi there!" Erin exclaimed, giving her younger sister a big hug. "It's been ages, hasn't it? How have you all been?"

"We've been fine! Max took his very first steps this morning!"

"Well, you know you're gonna really have to watch him now!" Both women laughed. "I remember when Vivi walked for the first time," Erin continued. "Ashley and I had been practicing with her for ages, and one day, Ashley let go of her hands and she just took off! We cheered for her, and when she realized what she was doing, she fell on her butt but then got right back up again! With Rosie it was much easier, since she always tried so hard to be just like Vivi."

"Still does, it looks like," Elizabeth remarked as she watched the toddler follow her older sister around.

Erin laughed. "Oh, yes!"

At last all the guests had arrived, and it was time to let Max open his presents. First was a warm winter sweater that Olivia had knitted for him. "I hope he can still wear it when the weather gets cold, he's growing so fast!" Olivia laughed.

Next was a Teddy bear from Max and Elsa. "Just think, this came all the way from Germany!" Paul told his son. Max chortled with glee as he hugged the toy.

After all the presents had been opened, Elizabeth lit the single candle on the cake and showed her son how to blow it out. Next she cut the cake, taking care to cut the slices thin enough that there was plenty to go around, and served it with ice cream. Everyone was eating and talking and enjoying themselves when she heard a short, sharp cry.

She turned her head and saw Max lying on the ground crying beside his new red wagon, which was lying on its side. Quick as a flash, she rushed to pick up the sobbing child. "What happened?" she demanded.

"I was pulling him in his wagon, and it must have hit a rock or something," Vivian told her.

"He could have been hurt really badly!" Elizabeth was so upset she didn't even realize she was shouting. "You should have been more careful!"

Vivian began to cry, hard. "I'm sorry!"

Right away Erin was there, scooping the little girl up and giving her younger sister a glare that would sour milk.

"Are you all right, sweetie?" Elizabeth sat down with her son, whose sobs had dwindled to sniffles by now. A surge of rage went through her when she saw the angry red bump on his head.

Paul came over to investigate. "I think he'll be all right," he said. "Just make sure he doesn't go to sleep any time soon."

In the meantime, Erin stalked away in a huff with Vivian in her arms. "Come on, Ashley," she told her husband. "Nobody shouts at my little girl like that!"


	21. The Reconciliation

"I can't _believe_ her!" Elizabeth exploded after the Longworths had left. "Our son could have been seriously hurt, and all she cares about is my tone of voice!"

"Well, babe, it _was _just an accident." Paul massaged his wife's shoulder. "Don't worry. She'll get over it."

By now Max's sobs had dwindled, and he was petting Heidi, who'd come over to investigate. With a sigh, Elizabeth stood and helped her husband clear away the dirty dishes and torn wrapping paper, then picked her son up and carried him back inside. For the rest of that afternoon, she and Paul played with Max to keep him awake. When it was nearly dark, she made sandwiches for herself and Paul and fed Max bite-sized meat and vegetables. Later, she gave her son a bath and put his pajamas on him, then read him a story and put him to bed.

"I guess it's all right to let him go to sleep now," Elizabeth said as she and Paul stood in the doorway of the nursery watching him.

"I would think so," he agreed. They stood watching their son for a few minutes more, then moved into the living room and sat on the sofa, where Elizabeth burst into tears right away.

"Darling..." Paul pulled his wife into his arms.

"Everything was just so perfect until that had to happen!" Elizabeth cried.

"But it's all right now," Paul pointed out. "Max wasn't really hurt."

"But now Erin's mad at me, and I feel bad about the way I yelled at Vivi. I know she didn't mean to hurt him."

"No need to feel bad." Paul kissed the top of her head. "You only reacted as any concerned mother would have. It's perfectly understandable." His finger stroked her cheek. "Come on, let's go to bed now. You'll feel better about it in the morning."

The next day, Elizabeth went by the Godsey's and bought a small rag doll. "It's for Vivi," she told Cora Beth, who gave her a puzzled glance. "I hurt her feelings yesterday at Max's birthday party, and I'm hoping this will cheer her up. How's Aimee?" She hadn't spoken to her old friend in awhile.

"Oh, she's fine! She has an apartment of her own in the city now, and she's been seeing the most delightful young man. He's a banker."

"That's good." Elizabeth paid for the doll and then made her way to the Longworth home. She arrived to find Erin hanging the wash out to dry. Vivian and Rosemary played at her feet. They looked up as Elizabeth approached.

"Hi, Aunt Lizzie." Vivian waved to her, but she didn't smile.

"Hi, sweetheart." Elizabeth smiled and held the doll out to her. "I brought you this."

"Thank you." Vivian took the doll but still didn't smile.

"Hi, Erin," Elizabeth greeted her sister.

Erin continued to work without responding. "I don't really have time to visit right now," she said at last.

Disappointed, Elizabeth returned home and began to prepare dinner. Soon it was time for Paul to come home. "Dada!" Max clapped his hands and ran toward the door when he heard it open.

"Hi there, little man." Paul lifted his son and kissed his cheek, then hugged and kissed his wife. "So how did it go today?"

Elizabeth sighed. "I bought Vivi a doll and took it over there, but Erin wouldn't even talk to me. She said she didn't have time to visit."

"It sounds to me like you've done everything you can." Paul's voice was warm, consoling. I think you just need to give it some time."

"I guess you're right."

Paul grinned. "Of _course _I'm right!"

Summer became autumn, and the leaves began to change colors and fall from the trees. One morning, Elizabeth was surprised to see Ashley drive up with Vivian and Rosemary.

"I know it's short notice, but I was wondering if you'd be able to watch the girls today," he said. "Erin ate something that didn't agree with her yesterday and was sick all night, and all she wants to do this morning is sleep. I told her I'd ask if you could babysit."

"I'd be happy to," Elizabeth replied. "I sure hope she'll be all right!"

"I'm sure she will be. All she needs is a little rest."

"Hi there," Elizabeth said to her nieces. "What would you girls like to do today?"

"I want to play ring-around-the-rosy!" Vivian cried.

Elizabeth played games with the three children all morning, then fed them lunch and put them down for naps. As it turned out, Paul got home from work before Ashley came to collect his daughters.

"Hi, Uncle Paul!" Vivian shouted as she ran to meet him.

"Well...hello there." Paul just stared, nonplussed.

"Erin was sick during the night, so Ashley asked me to watch the girls this morning," Elizabeth explained.

"I see. Well, how did it go?"

"We had a lot of fun together, didn't we, girls?" asked Elizabeth. Vivian and Rosemary nodded.

That Saturday, Erin and Ashley came over and brought a casserole. "I wanted to thank you for watching the girls the day I wasn't feeling well," Erin told her sister. "And to apologize for being cold to you so long. I realize now that I over-reacted, and I'm sorry."

"That's all right," Elizabeth replied. "I'm just glad you're not mad at me anymore."

"How could I ever stay mad at _you?" _Erin laughed as she and her sister embraced.


	22. The Storm

The rest of that year passed quickly. Max grew to be a cheerful, active toddler who was always getting into things, and by the following summer, he was saying many words and even a few short sentences. Elizabet planted a small garden in her front yard, where she grew bell peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. She spent many long, happy hours watering her crop and pulling weeds while Max and Heidi played nearby.

One evening, a stray cat appeared on the road in front of the Brimmer home, and like a shot out of a cannon, Heidi was after it. Elizabeth scooped Max up and ran after her, screaming her name, but it was all for naught, as both animals were soon out of sight.

Dejected, Elizabeth turned to walk back home. She was about halfway there when she heard the beep of a horn and turned to see her husband grinning at her from behind the wheel of his car. She saw that Heidi's nose was pressed against the window of the passenger's side.

"I thought you might want a ride home," Paul said as he came to a stop.

"Thank you!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she pulled the door open and eased herself and her son into the front seat. "Where'd you find her?"

"A couple of streets over. She ran up to me barking and wagging her tail."

"So I guess she never caught that cat, then."

Paul laughed. "Is that what she was after?"

When they got home, Elizabeth sat out the delicious salad and spaghetti she'd made. "This is superb," Paul said in between mouthfuls.

The following morning was beautiful and sunny. "Not a cloud in the sky," Elizabeth remarked as she kissed her husband good-bye.

After lunch it became very windy, and it soon grew dark as Elizabeth heard the rain pelt against the windows.

"Mommy!" cried Max. Elizabeth scooped him up into her arms and soothed him. At the same time, she looked out the window and saw the unmistakable funnel shape of a tornado.

"Oh my God!" she screamed. Frightened out of her wits, she ducked under the table, where she clutched her small son tightly. "Oh, Paul! Where are you?" she cried.

Time seemed to stand still as she sat there, crying and praying. Max fell asleep, and eventually Elizabeth realized that all had become quiet and still. She heard the sound of the door opening and closing, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps, and the next thing she knew, Paul's arms were around her, holding her tight.

"Thank God!" he breathed.

Elizabeth felt herself relax into his embrace. "I was so s-scared!" she cried as she clung to him.

"I know you were, sweetheart." He kissed her face as he stroked her hair. "There, there. It's all over with now, and everything's fine."

Max stirred in his sleep. "Daddy." Paul took his son into his arms and carried him into the nursery, where he stood by the crib rubbing the little boy's back until he was sound asleep once more.

Elizabeth crept up behind him. "Where were you?" she asked.

"Trapped in the sawmill with the others," Paul told her. "By the time Ben decided to close for the day, it was too late to head home, so we all had to wait it out. All the way over here, I was so afraid the tornado had gotten you. I can't begin to tell you how relieved I was to see that the house was still standing."

Elizabeth embraced him from behind. "I was so afraid I'd never see you again!"

"So was I." Paul's voice was husky with emotion as he took his wife's hand and led her into the bedroom, where they began to undress one another without saying a word, their breathing becoming heavier as desire flooded through them both.

The following morning, Elizabeth awakened in her husband's arms to the sound of dead silence. A moment later, she heard her son's soft voice as he played in his crib.

She moved to get up, but Paul stopped her. "I'll get him."

He pulled on his pants and padded into the nursery, returning several minutes later with their son. "Mama!" Max crowed, waving to his mother.

"Come here, big boy." Elizabeth reached for her son and took him into her arms, and Paul sat beside them on the bed. Elizabeth rested her head on his shoulder, and his fingers caressed her back in soft circles.

"Mm, that feels so nice!" she murmured.

"Well, I guess we may as well see what it looks like out there," Paul sighed after awhile.

"Not before breakfast." Elizabeth's voice was firm as she went into the kitchen and cooked a tall stack of pancakes.

"Delicious!" Paul exclaimed as he gobbled them down. "I don't know about you, but I was famished!"

"I was too scared to be hungry," Elizabeth replied as she cut Max's pancakes up so that he could feed himself with his fingers. "You were hungry, weren't you?" she cooed as he grabbed a piece of pancake and stuffed it into his mouth.

"He's like his father; he knows good cooking when he tastes it." Paul winked at his wife, who smiled and blushed.

When they'd finished eating, they dressed and walked outside to survey the damage. Limbs from trees were strewn all around, and Elizabeth saw a sight that made her sob.

"Oh, my poor persimmon tree!" she gasped as she went to it. When she saw that it had been completely uprooted, she began to cry.

Paul went to her and embraced her. "At least the blueberry bushes are intact."

"I wonder how much damage the rest of my family suffered," she commented.

"It'll probably be a couple of days before the roads are cleared." Paul's voice was grim.

"I know," Elizabeth sighed. She rested her head on her husband's shoulder, and they just stood there for awhile, watching Max toddle around.


	23. The City Mouse

It took many days for the debris from the storm to be cleared away. For several weeks, Elizabeth spent most of her time clearing away limbs and small shrubs and bushes that had been uprooted. She and Max made a game of racing to put the objects on the pile she'd started. She let him 'win' most of the time just to hear him giggle with delight.

When Paul had returned from work and everyone had eaten dinner one evening, he lit a fire on the pile, and he, Elizabeth and Max stood watching it burn. Elizabeth watched the puffs of smoke wafting away on the light breeze and suddenly felt so dizzy she thought she might faint.

"Are you all right?" Right away Paul was right there, holding her and gazing into her eyes, his own warm orbs of concern.

"I don't know." Elizabeth clutched her stomach. "Suddenly I feel like I'm about to be sick."

"Come on inside." Gently he steered her back into the house and helped her into bed. "Just rest for a bit. It'll pass."

She closed her eyes as she felt his fingers softly brushing the hair back from her face. A few minutes later, she felt his lips lightly brush her forehead. "Just take it easy for awhile. I'll finish up outside and get Max settled."

The following morning, she threw up as soon as she got out of bed, and a worried Paul took the morning off to take her to see Dr. Banion.

The doctor asked Elizabeth some questions about her general health and her monthly cycle, then told her to disrobe and lie on the examination table. Knowing what was coming, she scrunched her eyes shut and tried to think about something relaxing. The poking and prodding of the doctor's fingers inside her lasted only a few minutes, and then he told her she could sit up and get dressed.

"Congratulations," he said with a smile. "You have another little one on the way. It'll be born in about the middle of April."

Elizabeth's heart leaped with joy as she dressed and returned to the waiting room. Paul took one look at her smiling face and grinned himself. "Are you?"

She nodded, and he cried out with joy as he embraced her.

"It happened the night of the tornado," she told him.

He frowned. "How do you know?"

She shrugged. "I can't explain it. I just know. I have ever since that night."

They got into the car and rode to John and Olivia's to pick up Max. "How's he been?" Elizabeth asked as the little boy ran to her and she picked him up.

"Good as gold," Olivia replied. "He found my dried beans and got into them, but I was able to distract him with some empty spools."

Paul ruffled his son's hair. "How'd you like a baby sister?"

"Or brother," Elizabeth added.

"Oh, are you really? Well, congratulations!" Olivia beamed. "You'd better get her home so you can start taking good care of her," she added to Paul.

"I sure will," he told her.

* * *

A couple of weeks later, Elizabeth answered the knock at her door one Saturday morning to see Aimee Godsey standing there with a tall, dark-haired man. They were both wearing expensive clothing that looked brand new.

"Hi, Elizabeth!" Aimee beamed. "My mother gave me directions to your house. This is my husband, Roger."

"Nice to meet you." Elizabeth shook Roger's hand. "Come on in and have a seat. Paul's outside mowing the lawn. He'll be in after awhile."

Max toddled up to his mother and stood regarding the newcomers with solemn round eyes. _"Guten tag."_

Aimee and Roger both burst out laughing. "He's so cute!" Aimee exclaimed.

"Paul's been teaching him German," Elizabeth explained. "Would you like some iced tea?"

"Yes, please." Aimee attempted to fan herself with her hand. "It's hot as blazes!"

"Having become accustomed to air conditioning, the heat _is _rather hard to take," Roger added while Elizabeth poured the tea.

She frowned. "Air conditioning?"

"It's a wonderful little box that fits right inside a window frame," Aimee explained. "It's ever so much better at keeping your house cool than a fan!"

Elizabeth's mind had barely had time to digest this incredible fact before the door swung open and Paul entered the house. The aroma of freshly mowed grass combined with sweat filled her nostrils, and she went to her husband, savoring the scent she knew and loved so well.

"Aimee and her husband are here," she told Paul as he gave her a quick hug and kiss, then lifted Max into his arms and walked into the living room. "Paul, you remember Aimee, and this is her husband, Roger. Roger, this is my husband, Paul."

"How do you do." Paul shook his visitors' hands. "I apologize for my appearance. I had no idea I'd be having visitors today."

"Oh, that's quite all right!" Aimee assumed a mannerism that reminded Elizabeth of her mother, Corabeth.

"I'll just get a quick shower and then join you," Paul continued.

"You're fine as you are," Roger assured him.

Paul sat in a chair opposite his guests, still holding his son.

"So tell me, what's life like in the city?" asked Elizabeth.

"Oh, it's marvelous!" Aimee enthused. "Anytime I want, I can simply hop on a bus and go anywhere I chose! Altshul's, Ames and Brownley - anywhere?"

"Altshul's? Ames and Brownley?"

"They're department stores, and they're ever so much bigger than my parents' store! Rows and rows of dresses in every conceivable style, color, and size, and you should see their shoe selection! Plus there's a housewares section, a section with tools that I know Paul would love, and even a section for auto parts! You'll have to come visit sometime - I'd love to take you there!"

Paul looked at his wife and saw that her eyes were shining with excitement.


	24. The Country Mouse

"Let me guess," Paul said to his wife after their visitors had left. "You want to go to the city."

"Oh, could we, please? It sounds so exciting!"

"I promise, the next time I have a free Saturday, I'll take you."

"Oh, thank you!"

They left early one crisp fall morning. The weather had just turned cooler, and a gentle breeze blew the red, yellow, and orange leaves from the trees.

"I love this time of year!" Elizabeth exclaimed as they rode along. "Not too hot and not too cold. Just perfect!"

Paul grinned. "Just right for playing rugby."

"Football, you mean."

"You Americans need to learn the proper terms for sports." They both laughed.

Paul drove over a short bridge, and suddenly there were buildings all in a row on either side - stores with big windows, restaurants with tables and chairs in front, a motel that was several stories high across from a bank. Fascinated, Elizabeth couldn't tear her eyes away from the scenery.

"This makes me think of downtown Berlin." Paul drove over railroad tracks, then turned right and went down a street lined with apartments. "Here we are." He parked in front of one of the apartment buildings, and they went to ring the doorbell. Aimee opened the door a moment later.

"Hi! Come on in!" she exclaimed, stepping back so they could enter. Elizabeth's eyes widened as she gazed around at the inside of her friend's kitchen. The walls and cabinets were painted blue, and the floor had a speckled design. Blue and white checked curtains framed the windows, and the wallpaper was the same blue and white checker pattern. A potted plant stood in the corner opposite the stove, and in front of it was a low bar with a stool with a blue and white checked pillow on it.

Max was squirming, so Elizabeth let him down to toddle around while Aimee showed her all the fancy appliances and how they worked. Then they moved into the living room, where Elizabeth saw a blue sofa across from a large yellow sofa chair. A coffee table holding a vase and a tea set was between them, and the wall behind them held a fire place with book shelves on either side.

"Everything looks so nice!' Elizabeth exclaimed. "Where's Roger?"

"He went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for me. He'll be back in a few minutes."

Aimee poured tea for her guests, and they sat on the sofa while she sat across from them. Max toddled toward the coffee table and reached a tentative hand out to touch the vase.

"No, no, sweetie!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "That's to look at, not to touch!"

"Pity." Max looked as if he were about to cry.

"I'll see what I can find for you to play with." Aimee hurried to the kitchen and returned with a set of measuring cups and spoons. She laid them on the floor for Max, and he crowed happily.

A few minutes later, Roger came home from the pharmacy, gasping in surprise when he saw the Brimmers sitting on the sofa. "Oh. I didn't know we had company."

"I'm sorry," said Elizabeth. "We should have called first."

"Oh, no! That's all right," Aimee tittered. "I was thinking that perhaps I could show you around a couple of my favorite department stores."

"Oh, yes!" Elizabeth breathed. Max began to fuss, and she wrinkled her nose. "Just let me change Max's diaper, and we can be on our way." Aimee showed her the bedroom and the bathroom, and with some difficulty, she got the dirty diaper off her squirming son and the clean one on, and they rode to the department store.

Once they were inside, Elizabeth's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She saw two long rows of nothing but bins full of folded clothing, with a stand in the middle that had little girl's dresses hanging on it and a box with more folded shirts. A aisle over contained long trays holding dozens of record albums, and another section had rows of counters with smaller items like jewelry and perfume.

"I want to look at the dresses first," Aimee announced. She and Elizabeth went in one direction while Paul and Roger went in another. Elizabeth was fascinated by the beautiful dresses, but the prices dismayed her. The idea of talking to Paul about actually buying one made her quake inside.

Aimee chose two dresses, one black with white polka dots and one white with a pink flamingo print. "I can't wait for Roger to see me in these!" she exclaimed.

After awhile, Max reached up and tugged on Elizabeth's skirt. "Eat," he said.

"It _is _just about lunch time," Elizabeth agreed. They found Roger and Paul looking at records. The group all walked to the luncheonette together.

"Look at this!" Paul said to Elizabeth, holding up the most gorgeous baby dress she'd ever seen. It was light pink, with puffy sleeves and rows of lace around the collar and waist.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed. "But we don't know yet what we're going to have!"

He only smiled and patted her abdomen.

After lunch, they went to a different department store. Max took a short nap in his stroller, then began to squirm and fuss. Elizabeth took him out of the stroller so he could run around a bit.

Some time later, she was looking at patterns when she realized that her son was no longer playing at her feet. "Max?" she called. There was no answer. Her heart began to pound as she searched the surrounding area, to no avail.

"Max!" she shouted, near tears, and Paul came running, worry etched all over his face. "I can't find him anywhere!" she moaned.


End file.
